348 THE ELEPHANT. [Part VIII. 



during the ride of tlieir native sovereigns. The system 

 was continued by the Portuguese and Dutch, and pre- 

 vailed under the British Government till its abohtion 

 by the Earl of Eipon in 1832. Under it fi'om fifteen 

 hundred to two thousand men used to be occupied, 

 superintended by their headmen, in constructing the 

 con'al, collecting the elephants, maintaining the cordon 

 of watch-fii^es and watcliers, and conducting all the 

 laborious operations of the capture. Since the abohtion 

 of Eaja-kariya, hoAvever, no difficulty has been found in 

 obtaining the voluntary co-operation of the natives on 

 these exciting occasions. The govermnent defrays the 

 expense of that portion of the preparations which in- 

 volves actual cost, — for the skiUed laboiu: expended in 

 the erection of the corral and its appurtenances, and the 

 providing of spears, ropes, arms, flutes, drums, gunpow- 

 der, and other necessaries for the occasion. 



The period of the year selected is that which least 

 interferes with the cultivation of the rice lands (in the 

 interval between seed time and harvest), and the people 

 themselves, in addition to the excitement and enjopnent 

 of the sport, liave a personal interest in reducing tlie 

 number of elephants, whicli inflict serious injury on 

 their gardens and growing crops. For a similar reason 

 the priests encourage the practice, because the elephants 

 destroy the sacred Bo-tree, of the leaves of which they 

 are passionately fond ; besides which it promotes the 

 facihty of obtaining elephants for the processions of the 

 temples : and the Eatc-mahat-mayas and headmen have 

 a pride in exhibiting the number of retainers who follow 

 them to the field, and the performances of the tame 

 elepliants which they lend for the business of the corral. 

 Vast numbers of the peasantry are thus voluntarily 

 occupied for many weeks in putting up the stockades, 

 cutting patlis through the jungle, and relieving the beaters 

 who are engaged in surrounding and driving in tlie 

 elephants. 



In selecting the scene for tlie hunt, a position is chosen 



